Organising a SEA(UK) Annual Scientific Meeting
When
What
18months before
Book venue and determine date (nb not possible to pay in full in advance, a deposit is
usually enough)
Lecture room for min 120 people
3 Breakout rooms for the afternoon
Tea and coffee
(Consider hot snack on arrival as people may be travelling long distances)
Hot lunch with somewhere appropriate to sit and eat it (need tea and
coffee with lunch too)
Area for poster displays (to take at least 24 posters)
Poster boards – know how many
Registration desk
SEA (UK) info board
Start completing ASM cost spreadsheet and keep Treasurer up-to date re costs
Book room for council meeting night before
(18.00 or 16.00 if Conference Dinner planned)
Tea and coffee for 15 people
12-18months
Organise AV for meeting
Stage, PA system, microphones (inc roaming), laptops, projectors.
AV technician to attend event. (unless you are happy to do it yourself)
12months before
Council Meeting
Organisers confirmed
Date and venue confirmed
Theme agreed
Abstract co-ordinator identified
Advertise date and location of meeting during SEA (UK) ASM
(Supply PowerPoint slide to be shown in-between speakers)
AFTER SEAUK CONFERENCE
12months before
Advertise date and venue on SEA (UK) website
Advertise date and venue in SEA (UK) newsletter
(suggest use ppt slide from meeting for above two)
Advertise date and venue on AAGBI website
12months
Plan provisional programme
Start to invite speakers
3-12months
Arrange sponsors
KR October 2013
Page 1 of 6
3-9months
Develop website
Directions to venue
Accommodation options
(DW hotel re special rate for delegates)
Parking
Tourist info
Registration form – look at previous years as template
Submitting an Abstract information – use template
Workshop information to aid delegate choice
6-9 month
Investigate conference packs (DW Cath who may be able to arrange)
Delegate pack = Folder, pen, paper, conference booklet, feedback form, direct
debit form for non-members.
Speaker pack = pen, paper, conference booklet, expenses form, info for
speakers.
6 months before
Provisionally book rooms in hotel for speakers and council
6 months
Organise dinner for speakers and council night before
July/August
Check submission deadlines for adverts to Anaesthesia (Nov) and Bulletin
(Jan)
Prepare advert – template available
Need to decide if early bird fees &/or registration deadline
August/September
Provisional programme to be ready for council meeting
Design flyer to be ready for newsletter
Advertise SEA (UK) Conference at AAGBI Sept Conference if possible
(Poster or ppt slide)
Council meeting
(Oct)
Give update
Present advert for bulletin & anaesthesia news and flyer to council members for
approval
Give treasurer latest version of excel cost spreadsheet
Confirm 2 people to help abstract co-ordinator.
Confirm people if needed for workshops etc.
September/October Consider submit advert to Anaesthesia (Dec/Jan/) and Bulletin (Jan)
October
Send flyer to Administrator so it can be emailed to SEAUK members and
distributed at any meetings SEAUK council are attending.
Include abstract submission details on reverse. Should include email address
of abstract co-ordinator and a conference organiser – template available.
KR October 2013
Page 2 of 6
October
Confirm with AAGBI if can include flyers at WSM
Email AAGBI to add ASM to meetings website
Apply for RCOA CPD and so it will be added to their meetings doc
November
Confirm speakers – check they are happy with their remit
Ask for speaker resume & abstracts - give deadline needed by
Ask if accommodation required
December
Arrange for flyers to be delivered to AAGBI before they “close” for Christmas
(DO NOT USE COURIERS –too expensive)
January
Speaker reminder
Confirm speakers – check they are happy with their remit
Ask for speaker resume & abstracts
Confirm if they need accommodation
Remind them of the deadline for conference booklet
Tell them SEA(UK) would like to publish the presentations in the members
only area of website 6 months post meeting in a read only version and ask
them to let you know if they do not wish their presentation to be published.
Invite some council members to chair sessions
February
Refer to Jo Kerr’s “how to” guide
Process abstracts
Inform delegates re successful abstracts
February
Create conference booklet
(Suggest arial no smaller than 12 to be able to read easily. Abstracts may not
all end up on single page. Preferably colour and good paper to encourage
people to want to keep it)
Timetable
Speaker profiles
Speaker abstracts – in order of presentation
Free paper abstracts – in order of presentation
Poster abstracts – in order of display
Advert for next meeting on back cover
February
Confirm numbers for council meeting (Cath will send agenda and invite)
Confirm numbers for dinner and any special req – Consider asking for preorder to make dinner not too late
February
Final checks with hotel
Final checks with AV
February
Order flowers for helpers / administrators as needed
KR October 2013
Page 3 of 6
Decide what is to go on society board and prepare it
Invite someone to be 4th poster judge (other 3 are abstract judges)
Invite 4 Free paper judges – 2 speakers and 2 council
Identify someone to be photographer on the day
1st -2nd week
in March
Confirm number of rooms with hotel
Confirm number of people for dinner
Confirm number of delegates for lunch
Confirm number of conference booklets (include 5 spare)
Confirm number of delegate and speaker packs
Any final checks with speakers or free paper presenters
1 week before
Prepare CME certificates – template available
Cath will print attendance lists
Cath to prepare workshop attendees list
Prepare signs for workshops etc
Prepare
Day before the meeting
Conference organisers meet and decide on who has responsibility on the day for the
following jobs (In reality there will be some overlap)
Venue liaison
Helping Barbara set up and trouble shoot
Poster set up – although this can be handed over to abstract coordinator
Free paper presenter liaison
Speakers liaison – you may have to split them between you
Sponsors liaison
Obtains a copy of all the presentations onto a USB at the end of the day.
Conference organisers to sign CME certificates
Conference organisers to sign prize certificates (names to be added later)
Prepare area
Registration desk
Poster boards
Directions for workshops etc
SEA (UK) information board
Where will sponsors set up
Council Meeting
(night before)
Update
Confirm who is judging
Confirm those with “jobs” are happy with their remit
On the day of the meeting
KR October 2013
Page 4 of 6
Take a USB with any presentations that speakers have sent you
Have an empty USB to be able to store all of the days presentations on
Registration desk
Cloakroom / baggage storage – have secure available if possible
Sponsors
Society board
Have programme on display
Photographs of the day
(ensure at least have a picture of prize winners and conference organisers)
Try to limit flash photography during presentations
Advertise next meeting on the big screen
Free paper speakers to load up talks in plenty of time
Prizes written and ready
Names entered onto Prize certificates once scoring completed
Retain score sheets (2 copies – one for abstract coordinator one for conference organiser)
Collect feedback forms
Give out CME certificates at end of day
Ensure speakers have expenses form
Ask all speakers if they are happy for their presentation to be put on the members area
of SEAUK website
Pay venue
Post meeting
Submit abstracts to anaesthesia (abstract coordinator)
Meeting write up for news letter (meeting organiser)
Letter of thanks to speakers (meeting organiser)
Pay expenses (Treasurer)
Finalise account (treasurer and meeting organiser)
Collate feedback (Cath plus meeting organiser)
3 sets:
Send individual speakers their feedback,
Send trustees full feedback of whole meeting with comments
Send council the feedback without comments on the speakers
Add presentations to website (meeting organiser and website administrator)
KR October 2013
Page 5 of 6
The following templates are available and can be redesigned at any convenient
time in the year before:
Advert
Flyer
Submitting an Abstract guidance
Registration Form – should be kept the same
Feedback form – should be kept the same
CME form
Prize winner certificates
Cost EXCEL spreadsheet
Other useful information:
It was agreed for the 2010 ASM that medical students would be charged £60 if
presenting and should attend with a full fee paying consultant.
If people can only attend half the day they can pay half fees.
All speakers, including workshop facilitators should be exempt from paying
registration fees and be offered accommodation and travel expenses. (This does not
include council members who are ONLY judging or chairing a session except those judging the
posters who pay half price).
You should also refer to Jo Kerrs Abstract coordinators “How to” guide
KR October 2013
Page 6 of 6